Racing pundit John McCririck claimed he was treated “abominably” by the “anonymous suits and skirts” who fired him, as his employment tribunal over alleged age discrimination began today.

The 73-year-old is suing former employer Channel 4 and TV production company IMG Media Limited, claiming he was axed last year because he was too old.

He arrived for the start of the case at the Central London Employment Tribunal wearing his trademark deerstalker and said: “It [age discrimination] is a scourge on so many people. I have been treated abominably. I had been working there for 29 years and I was told I was no longer wanted in a short phone call. The problem is that the anonymous suits and the skirts, these new executives, come along and ruin careers.

“Nobody can appeal against them and they just get rid of people like this. They want younger people to come in and that is against the law.”

McCririck was dropped when the station unveiled a new presenting team headed by Clare Balding.

The pundit, who has appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, later announced his plans to sue for £3 million but refused to give odds on his chances of success.

He told the Standard: “I think I will win but I wouldn’t issue odds when it comes to the judicial system. I am not fighting for money I just want my job back. Clare Balding is a wonderful broadcaster and I want to work with her. There is no doubt this is all about age. It happens when there are new executives in the media they come in and feel they have to shake everything up. Others have been axed as well. I want to win for others in my position as well.”

He said a “punitive exemplary financial penalty” would help end age discrimination, adding: “The only way to end age discrimination for thousands of people across the country is to make it a whopping great penalty that no employer will ever again dare use age discrimination against people.”

A C4 spokesman said: “We are grateful to John McCririck for his contribution towards Channel 4 Racing over many years.

“However we reject the suggestion that discrimination on the basis of age played any part in the decision not to include John in the Channel 4 Racing team from 2013 and we are vigorously defending this claim.”